Greater and Lesser Tunbs

Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb are two islands near the Strait of Hormuz, controlled by Iran and claimed by the United Arab Emirates.

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Iranian seizure of Abu Musa and the Tunbs: Iranian forces took control of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs on 30 November 1971. The seizure established Iran’s control of the Tunbs shortly before the United Arab Emirates formed.
Strait of Hormuz: The Strait of Hormuz is the narrow sea passage connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. The Tunbs lie near this strategic maritime gateway.
Iran–United Arab Emirates relations: Iran–United Arab Emirates relations are the diplomatic and economic ties between the two neighboring states. The islands’ dispute remains a recurring point of tension within these relations.
Greater Tunb: Greater Tunb is the larger of the two Tunb islands in the Persian Gulf. It is the larger island at the center of the sovereignty dispute.
Qasimi dynasty: The Qasimi are a ruling Arab dynasty historically associated with Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah. The emirates ground their claims partly in historical Qasimi ties to the islands.
Persian Gulf: The Persian Gulf is a marginal sea of the Indian Ocean between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. The islands sit in a region central to their maritime and political significance.
Iranian occupation of Abu Musa: Iranian control of Abu Musa began in 1971 under a memorandum with Sharjah, unlike the Tunbs’ seizure without such an agreement. The contrasting arrangements distinguish Abu Musa’s dispute from the Tunbs’.
Lesser Tunb: Lesser Tunb is the smaller of the two Tunb islands in the Persian Gulf. It was uninhabited when Iran took control in 1971.
Ras Al Khaimah: Ras Al Khaimah is an emirate on the Persian Gulf coast of the United Arab Emirates. Its rulers asserted sovereignty over the Tunbs before Iran took control.
United Arab Emirates: The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates on the Arabian Peninsula. The federation maintains the claim inherited from Ras Al Khaimah.